Downtime on Nebulos
Sunny Valley Through a miraculous confluence of geography and happenstance, a fertile valley has developed here amongst the arid plains and foreboding jungles of this area of Nebulos. There is a small lake in the middle, from which all the lively greenery in the area springs. Hills and mountains flank this secret garden, protecting it from the ravages of nature. Butterflies flit about as predator and prey alike share the fresh waters. Tall trees provide shelter from the vicious sun and small red and yellow flowers flaunt themselves in clusters around the valley. This would be a nice place to retire. Blue and Yellow Cassette is, for the moment, sitting on a table amidst other equipment. After yesterday's excitement, the first true firefight he's really been around or involved in, the new cassette was definetely in need of a rest cycle. As such, he transformed and picked a spot to sit quietly and recharge. It's not like people will wonder where he went. The little transmitter that Red Alert told him was even explosive is still attached to his body, blinking steadily as it reports his position every five seconds. Raindance floats into view, making small, wobbly circles around the camp. He's looking very banged up as he gives a few bleeps out. "Hey Twitch! Lucky Magnus didn't die or you would have to carry his head around with you forever!" Blaster exits one an Autobot shuttle that just landed, moving away from it as troops start moving fresh equipment off and putting stuff for recycling, plus samples back onto the shuttle. He's also aware of the transmitter Red Alert had attached, and besides how could he not miss the signal. He therefore walks right up to the table, looking at the small tape, he gives Raindance a sideways look, "Magnus' head? You trying to torment the new guy already Raindance?" Blue and Yellow Cassette comes out his rest cycle with a start, hearing Raindance's words, and his small form actually shuddering a moment later. "WHat!? Really? ACK! I couldn't even lift it, I couldn't carry his head aroun..." He trails off then as Blaster approaches, falling silent for a few seconds before transforming and landing on his small, clawed feet with a faint *TINK*. Funny, except for a few minor differences in his weaponry and curve of his wings, one would almost think they were looking at a blue and white Laserbeak. "Uh...hi?" He speaks out, his voice a bit shrill. The blue and yellow cassette unfolds and grows into the form of Twitch. Blaster bends his legs, bringing him to a height so he is face to face with the Laserbeak lookalike. Blaster smiles wide, "Well hello there, I'm Blaster. So, what's your name?" Okay so he already knows this, but he'd rather hear it from the new tape first. Twitch shifts a bit, his entire stance perhaps a bit insecure as he finds himself under the gaze of Soundwave's opposite number. Oh yes, he's got quite a few databanks on -him- from his previous construction. "Uh, hi..." He says quietly, looking left, then right before finally peering at Blaster completely. "I'm uh...Twitch. I just kind of got here recently..." He indicates the collar around his neck, which the tracking device has now transformed into along with his own shift in forms. "...but I figure you already know that, huh?" Blaster is still smiling, "Yeah, though I tend to prefer hearing things from the source. Avoids any of the information being coloured by the opinion of anyone along the way." Blaster stands momentarily, grabs a chair and sits down, more comfortable but still allowing him to be at the same height as Twitch effectively. "So, Soundwave created you and then just discraded you?" Despite the smile, there's an edge to Blasters voice as he asks about Soundwave. Sky Lynx says, "Greetings chaps." Twitch's head perks up as the topic seems to switch to a genuine interest in his situation. "Well...sort of," he muses, recounting the events in his mind. "I wasn't supposed to be activated in the first place actually. When Soundwave built me, I guess my personality didn't exactly mesh with Decepticon protocol...I can see why." His wings lift in something akin to a shrug, "Anyways, it was during that thing where some aliens had landed in one of those human cities. I guess I malfunctioned and popped out of his chest when he was putting a scout out...I fell, I hit something...and I came online. And that's kind of how things got me started. If that hadn't happened, Soundwave was gonna mindwipe me and start over with the empty shell." He states it blandly, as if it were little more than a simple fact that he was going to cease to exist before he even had a chance to live. Blaster nods, his optics glow a little darker red than normal, as if reflecting his mood. To bring life into this world is something special, to be entrusted as a guardian of such life is something Blaster takes seriously. He does not seem happy at the thought of Soundwave dismissing such life merely because it doesn't fit his own likes. How very Decepticon of him. "Well, I'm glad of the malfunction, since it means you have a chance to live. So, you want to stick with the Bots, or just seeing how you feel about what you want to do?" Afterall, while the bird before him may not be welcome in the Cons, that doesn't mean he'll jump in bed with the Bots. Twitch falls silent for a moment, staring straight ahead as he thinks that over. Not even stay with the Autobots? He hadn't even considered that as an option at all. A few moments pass as he thinks this over, looking to the shuttle, then back to the horizon of Nebulos. Even if he -did- leave the Autobots, where would he go? And did he even want to leave in the first place? He was here in the first place because he followed Cliffjumper and Warpath home like a lost puppy. "I like it here." He concludes finally. "I mean, some people have been really nice. Some keep tellin me they don't trust me..." Again, he indicates the collar. "...but that's okay. I don't blame them, given where I came from and all. They're still givin me a chance, right?" Blaster nods, smiling again, "Trust is earned, some people will be more friendly, some won't. But there isn't an Autobot around that won't learn to trust you once you've earned it. Some just take more effort to earn their trust than with others."Blaster reaches out, taking hold of the collar between two fingers, careful not to make it akward for Twitch, "So whose bright idea was this?" Red Alert wanders into the valley, headed for the temporary base. He walks in a slow circle around the parked shuttles, making sure they seem ready for use. Twitch tilts his head to one side as Blaster inspects the collar, keeping his form still. "The security guys." He states a few seconds later. "Said it was a tracking collar, keeps reporting my location. Which makes sense I suppose." He pauses, then tilts his head as he gazes from left to right. "...one of em told me it was gonna blow up if I strayed too far from my escorts when we're out and about." Whether or not it's true it certainly had its effect on keeping the tape in line. Blaster's optics mimic the effect of a human raising an eyebrow, "Security guys? WOuld happen to be white, with red and some black bits?" Cause like, exploding collar? Blaster can think of one Bot who might be paranoid enough to do that, or at least make on he did. "Do you think you need the collar?" Blaster looks it over carefully, checking for any explosives. Red Alert turns from where he's looking at the shuttles. He has to shout slightly to be heard. "Yes, I was the one responsible for the collar. It was strictly a precautionary measure, although I'm sure you would agree that under the circumstances it was warranted." Turns out he's been eavesdropping on the conversation, probably the entire time he's been here! Twitch listens to the color description. "...that sounds right." He muses, indeed confirming the culprit as none other than the very Autobot Blaster is thinking of. As he inspects the collar, the little bird mech twitches his wings nervously. "Need it? Well...I mean, if I got a bomb around my neck it makes me a little nervous and...AHHHHHGH!" Good thing the collar isn't on a hair trigger because, as Red Alert suddenly shouts out the bird has a brief spaz attack, leaping up and onto Blaster's shoulder. "Eep..." Blaster is used to all manner of Bots, including nervous ones. He's also used to all manner of tapes finding his shoulders comforting place to be. And while he hasn't had the pleasure of both happening till now, he takes it calmly, which is good since if he paniced it likely would make the whole thing worse, and comical to anyone watching. Instead he stays as he is, letting Twitch find a spot on his shoulder to calm down, while he looks over at Red, "As an interim measure yes, but telling him it would explode might have been a bit over overkill Red." Blasters tone gets quite a bit more serious, "I do hope it isn't actually made to explode...?" Red Alert walks over to the others so that he doesn't have to keep shouting. He keeps his face carefully expressionless. "I'm afraid that's classified information." He looks back and forth between Blaster and Twitch a few times. "Blaster, you have the highest security clearance so I would of course tell you. However, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to talk about such matters in front of the Autobot in question. Unless you feel he needs to know?" Red seems reluctant to talk in front of Twitch but he will follow Blaster's lead. Twitch's head tilts down a bit, his position on Blaster's shoulder shifting as he listens to the talk between the two of them. He really feels he should be saying something, despite feeling like the odd one out. "It's okay!" He says suddenly, a little -too- loudly. "...it's okay." He repeats a moment later. "I don't mind. If you think it's necessary I'll make do." He waggles his wings and attempts to try and make light of it. "Heh heh, I'll just have to hope I don't catch a stray shot that sets the collar off, huh? Huh?" Sky Lynx says, "All seems fine here at home, home being Cybertron that is, how are things on Earth?" Blaster reaches into a subspace pocket, pulling out an energon goodie that he offers up to the nervous bird-cassette, "No need to be nervous here. Rather have you present for this chat than not." He looks back at Red, "Spit it out Red, I won't have one of my cassettes told one thing if it isn't true. And I certainly won't have an explosive collar on one of them." Yes, Twitch just got referred to as one of Blasters cassettes. Whether it's the goodie or the fact that Blaster just referred to him as one of his cassettes, but Twitch's optics light up like Stimpy were just told he'd been given a lifetime supply of gritty kitty litter for free. JOY! Red Alert sighs. "Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Well, the truth is...the collar is not explosive. It's simply a way to keep track of Twitch's whereabouts." Red goes on almost thoughtfully. He has a slightly far-off look in his optics. "The Autobots have never, to my knowledge, condoned something like that. At least, that's what Optimus Prime told me when I brought it up once, long ago. In fact, it shortly afterwards I wrote something to that affect into the Amendments of the Autobot Security Regulations." He smiles slightly. "But I've been told that few Autobots besides myself even know where to find these regulations, let alone make it a habit to read them." "It's not?" Twitch perks up, then actually droops in great relief at that. Hey no matter how you look at it, the prospect of having a bomb around your neck is never a pleasant one. Now he can relax somewhat. Even to the point that he eyes the energon goodie and proceeds to clip it with his beak, swallowing it down gratefully, even his wings giving a brief twitch of pleasure. Yep, he's a happy little mechabird now! Blaster chuckles a little, "Well yes, I did think it odd you going against the very regs you wrote." He looks round at the bird on his shoulders, "There, collar isn't explosive. Though I think we can make a slight change, care to hop down?" He points at the table, and while he waits for Twitch to head there he looks back to Red, "It isn't smart when demanding someone earns your trust, to lie to them. Yes?" Twitch is more than happy to comply now. Blaster's made leaps and bounds in a matter of minutes earning the bird's trust in this matter. Granted he's relatively new to living and a little naive, but all the better that he fell in with a good crowd, no? It only takes a moment to hop on the table and shift around to face Blaster, peerng up at him curiously. Turning back to face the table, Blaster reaches out, making sure he doesn't make sudden moves, "Okay, I'm going to give you a Bot transmitter, it's one specifically for tapes and... well it gives you access to a little subfrequency we use. Also, I'll key it to transmit your location, that way we can dump the collar." Plus as Blaster doesn't mention, it means that he can control just who gets to keep track of his latest 'kid'. "I'm assuming your able to pop open your radio setup?" Blaster may not be up to making repairs on tapes yet, but he knows his way round radios. "Sure! No problem." Twitch pipes up eagerly, now the prospect of being rid of the collar almost too much tot ake at this point. The top of his head opens up like Laserbeak's, except instead of a camera his radio systems are visible in there. Practically brimming with enthusiasm at this point. When you come from Soundwave rejecting what you were to being accepted rather readily elsewhere, it's like a breath of fresh air alright. Blaster pops open his tape deck quietly, reaching in and taking out a rouch device small enough to easily fit in a cassette-birds head. He reaches out, removes a similar device currently in Twitches head, gently replaces it with the new device. Then after he pops the first one away (worth examining later incase it gives intel on Decepticon frequencies and the like) he presses a few buttons on the inside of his tape deck door. City Commander Ultra Magnus says, "Long-range sensors indicate Thunderwing is making his way towards Cybertron at a rapid pace. This is it; Autobots, I need every available unit to mobilize at Nightsiege! Sky Lynx, I need you to mobilize anyone space capable to intercept Thunderwing. Try to slow him down and give us time to prepare." Twitch blinks again, briefly in surprise, then hopping up and down. "I hear it! I hear it!" He also suddenly catches Ultra Magnus' broadcast, blinking again. "Uh oh...that's not good, is it?" THe hatch in his head closes again with a faint snap and hiss as he looks left, then right. Sky Lynx says, "I am actually already out here in orbit, sir and I already heard the decepticons channel that he apparently may have landed in Nightsiege and made his way inside. Do you wish for me to follow?" Sky Lynx has encrypted this channel.